Snapshots: Encounters With Twentieth-Century Legends Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
In his diverse career as a journalist and wordsmith, Herbert Kretzmer has interviewed and profiled some of the twentieth century's greatest figures in theatre, literature, show business and sport. His meetings with these legends are touching, funny and devastatingly honest, providing brief but lasting snapshots of their lives. Brought together for the first time, these portraits offer unique insights into some of the extraordinary talents and personalities who have shaped our culture. Kretzmer's intimate interviews allow us to meet such charismatic individuals as Truman Capote, Petula Clark, Billy Wilder, Cassius Clay, Anita Loos, John Osborne, Joan Plowright, Nicol Williamson, Peter Shaffer, J. P. Donleavy and many others. They are people who achieved greatness by virtue of their innovations, personalities and flair, and in these glimpses into their lives they share their hopes and opinions, anecdotes and memories.
File Size: 9637 KB
Print Length: 448 pages
Publisher: Robson Press, The (August 28, 2014)
Publication Date: August 28, 2014
Sold by: Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00N01TQVK
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
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Before songwriter Herbert Kretzmer composed the songbook of Les Miserables, he was scrambling all over London as a work-a-day journalist! His assignments brought him into encounters with many of our culture's heroes, legends and celebrities including Truman Capote, Walt Disney, Jacob Bronowski, J. Paul Getty, David Niven, Boris Karloff, Henry Miller and on and on. "Snapshots" is a brilliant compendium of these "selfies" -- it is as if Kretzmer has held a cellphone up to each of these startlingly surprising people and let them snap away. He defines not only their accomplishments but the details of their worlds that contribute to how they viewed themselves. Maurice Chevalier, already somewhat despised for living too comfortably under the Vichy government (Chanel too!) comes across less as a collaborator than a tightwad; Truman Capote, dressed brightly as a budgie, hates Paris; Petula Clark remains ageless and lovely; I'm not a reader of People magazine but I love people watching and Kretzmer's profiles are witty, sharp and full of insights that delight and dazzle.
Each interview is a small adventure into the private life of each person. Strong memorable personalities are captured in depth.
The title perfectly conveys what this book is: brief, vivid images of twentieth century figures, mostly entertainers. It provides an insight into the mind and culture of the mid-twentieth century in particular. The author -- himself a journalist and song-writer, famous for his English lyrics for "Les Miserables" -- usually had limited time with these individuals, and knew how to make the most of it by asking the pertinent questions. A very entertaining book.
Absolutely an interesting read. Each snapshot or interview is a little piece in the private world of these great legends of the past 60 years. Just reading their names brought back memories. Because Herbert Kretzmer shows their flaws and their strengths, he has helped me understand more clearly why these people achieved success. A nice walk down memory lane.
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